US8985810B2ActiveUtilityA1

Illumination apparatus

90
Assignee: WOODGATE GRAHAM JOHNPriority: Oct 1, 2008Filed: Oct 1, 2009Granted: Mar 24, 2015
Est. expiryOct 1, 2028(~2.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Graham J. WoodgateJonathan Harrold
H10W 74/00H10W 72/547H10W 72/07554H10W 72/0198H10W 72/07521H10W 72/07336H10W 72/07141H10W 72/0711H10W 72/07178H10W 90/00F21Y 2105/12G02B 19/0028G02B 19/0071F21V 5/007F21Y 2115/10G02B 19/0066F21K 9/232F21V 5/008F21Y 2105/10F21Y 2107/30H10H 29/24H10H 29/142H10H 29/856H10H 29/855H10H 20/856H10H 20/855H01L 33/60H01L 2224/78H01L 24/75H01L 2924/00F21Y 2105/001F21Y 2111/005H01L 2924/10253H01L 2224/48091H01L 2924/01057H01L 2224/49107F21Y 2101/02F21K 9/135H01L 2924/00014H01L 2224/83801H01L 24/78H01L 2924/3512H01L 24/85H01L 2224/75H01L 2224/85186H01L 2924/01025H01L 24/83H01L 33/58H01L 24/95H01L 2924/01021H01L 2924/01079
90
PatentIndex Score
20
Cited by
34
References
58
Claims

Abstract

An illumination apparatus and method of manufacture of the same in which an array of light-emitting elements is aligned to an array of optical elements to achieve a thin and efficient light source that can also be arranged to provide directional and/or programmable illumination.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing an illumination apparatus;
 the method comprising:
 forming a monolithic array of light-emitting elements; 
 selectively removing a plurality of light-emitting elements from the monolithic array in a manner that preserves the relative spatial position of the selectively removed light-emitting elements; 
 forming a non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements with the selectively removed light-emitting elements by mounting the selectively removed light-emitting elements on a substrate in a manner that preserves the relative spatial position of the selectively removed light-emitting elements; and 
 separately forming an integrated optical body comprising an array of catadioptric optical elements; and 
 aligning the substrate comprising the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements with the integrated body comprising the array of catadioptric optical elements; 
 wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements that are selectively removed from the monolithic array are selected such that, in at least one direction, for at least one pair of the selectively removed light-emitting elements in the at least one direction, for each respective pair there is at least one respective light-emitting element that is not selected that was positioned in the monolithic array between the pair of selectively removed light-emitting elements in the at least one direction. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the integrated optical body comprises attaching at least the catadioptric optical elements to an optical substrate in a manner that preserves the relative spatial positions of the optical elements. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming of the integrated optical body comprises forming at least the catadioptric optical elements on an optical substrate. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively removing a plurality of light-emitting elements from the monolithic array in a manner that preserves the relative spatial position of the selectively removed light-emitting elements further comprises removing the plurality of light-emitting elements from the monolithic array in a manner that preserves the relative orientation of the selectively removed light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements and the array of optical elements are aligned such that a given optical element is aligned with a respective light-emitting element. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical elements are such that an optical element of the array of optical elements that is aligned with a light-emitting element of the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements directs light emitted by the light-emitting element into a smaller solid angle than that at which the light is emitted by the light-emitting element. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the area of the output aperture of at least one optical element is at least four times the area of the light emitting aperture of the respective light-emitting element with which the optical element is aligned. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 7 , wherein the area of the output aperture is at least ten times the area of the respective light emitting aperture. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements and the array of optical elements are aligned such that the input aperture of a given optical element is aligned with a respective light-emitting element;
 wherein the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements and the array of optical elements are aligned such that a specific point within the area of the input aperture of an optical element is aligned with a specific point within the area of a respective light-emitting element; 
 wherein the specific point within the area of the input aperture is the optical centre of the input aperture; 
 wherein the specific point within the area of the light-emitting element is the centre of mass of the light emitting area of the light-emitting element. 
 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the alignment of the specific points is within a tolerance of plus or minus 10% of the maximum width or diameter of the light emitting elements. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein each optical element has an output aperture of maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 4 mm. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein each optical element has an output aperture of maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 3 mm. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 12 , wherein each optical element has an output aperture of maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 2 mm. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein each light-emitting element has a maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 300 micrometers. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14 , wherein each light-emitting element has a maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 200 micrometers. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 15 , wherein each light-emitting element has a maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 100 micrometers. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein each optical element has a maximum height of less than or equal to 5 mm. 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 17 , wherein each optical element has a maximum height of less than or equal to 3 mm. 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein each optical element has a maximum height of less than or equal to 1.5 mm. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the array of optical elements is flexible. 
     
     
       21. A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the flexibility of the array of optical elements is achieved at least in part by forming at least some of the optical elements with sacrificial elements therebetween connecting respective optical elements whilst the relative positions are being provided, and after formation breaking at least some of the sacrificial elements. 
     
     
       22. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements is flexible. 
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 22 , further comprising, after the step of aligning the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements with the array of optical elements, bending the array of optical elements and/or the array of light-emitting elements, whereby the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements remains aligned with the array of optical elements even if the relative positions between respective light-emitting elements and/or between respective optical elements has changed due to the bending step. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising forming an array of electrode connections and aligning the array of electrode connections with the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein a combined non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements is formed from a combination of a plurality of non-monolithic arrays of light-emitting element arrays. 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements is formed using a first and a second monolithic array, wherein some of the light emitting elements used in the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements are selectively removed from the first monolithic array of light emitting elements and some of the light emitting elements used in the non-monolithic array of light-emitting elements are selectively removed from the second monolithic array of light emitting elements. 
     
     
       27. An illumination apparatus, comprising:
 a plurality of light-emitting elements from a monolithic wafer mounted on a substrate and arranged in an array with their original monolithic wafer positions and orientations relative to each other preserved; and 
 a separate integrated optical body comprising a plurality of catadioptric optical elements arranged in an array; 
 wherein the substrate comprising the light-emitting element array is aligned with the integrated optical body comprising the catadioptric optical element array such that the light-emitting elements are aligned with the catadioptric optical elements; 
 wherein in at least one direction, for at least one pair of the plurality of light-emitting elements in the at least one direction, for each respective pair there was at least one respective light-emitting element in the monolithic wafer that was positioned in the monolithic wafer between the pair of light-emitting elements in the at least one direction and that is not positioned between them in the array of light-emitting elements. 
 
     
     
       28. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the forming of the integrated optical body having comprised attaching at least the catadioptric optical elements to an optical substrate in a manner that preserved the relative spatial positions of the optical elements. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the forming of the integrated optical body having comprised forming at least the catadioptric optical elements on an optical substrate. 
     
     
       30. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the array of light-emitting elements and the array of optical elements are aligned such that a given optical element is aligned with a respective light-emitting element. 
     
     
       31. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the optical elements are such that an optical element of the array of optical elements that is aligned with a light-emitting element of the array of light-emitting elements directs light emitted by the light-emitting element into a smaller solid angle than that at which the light is emitted by the light-emitting element. 
     
     
       32. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the area of the output aperture of at least one optical element is at least four times the area of the light emitting aperture of the respective light-emitting element with which the optical element is aligned. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus according to  claim 32 , wherein the area of the output aperture is at least ten times the area of the respective light emitting aperture. 
     
     
       34. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , further comprising refractive structures aligned with at least some of the optical elements of the optical array and the light-emitting elements of the array of light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       35. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the array of light-emitting elements and the array of optical elements are aligned such that the input aperture of a given optical element is aligned with a respective light-emitting element;
 wherein the array of light-emitting elements and the array of optical elements are aligned such that a specific point within the area of the input aperture of an optical element is aligned with a specific point within the area of a respective light-emitting element; 
 wherein the specific point within the area of the input aperture is the optical centre of the input aperture; 
 wherein the specific point within the area of the light-emitting element is the centre of mass of the light emitting area of the light-emitting element. 
 
     
     
       36. An apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein the alignment of the specific points is within a tolerance of plus or minus 10% of the maximum width or diameter of the light emitting elements. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein each optical element has an output aperture of maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 4 mm. 
     
     
       38. An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein each optical element has an output aperture of maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 3 mm. 
     
     
       39. An apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein each optical element has an output aperture of maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 2 mm. 
     
     
       40. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein each light-emitting element has a maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 300 micrometers. 
     
     
       41. An apparatus according to  claim 40 , wherein each light-emitting element has a maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 200 micrometers. 
     
     
       42. An apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein each light-emitting element has a maximum width or diameter less than or equal to 100 micrometers. 
     
     
       43. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein each optical element has a maximum height of less than or equal to 5 mm. 
     
     
       44. An apparatus according to  claim 43 , wherein each optical element has a maximum height of less than or equal to 3 mm. 
     
     
       45. An apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein each optical element has a maximum height of less than or equal to 1.5 mm. 
     
     
       46. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the array of optical elements is flexible. 
     
     
       47. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the array of light-emitting elements is flexible. 
     
     
       48. An apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein, after the array of light-emitting elements was aligned with the array of optical elements, the array of optical elements and/or the array of light-emitting elements was bent, whereby the array of light-emitting elements remained aligned with the array of optical elements even if the relative positions between respective light-emitting elements and/or between respective optical elements had changed due to the bending. 
     
     
       49. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein some of the light-emitting elements have different shapes of light emitting aperture to others of the light-emitting elements, arranged to provide a more uniform output beam shape. 
     
     
       50. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein some of the light-emitting elements have different orientations of light emitting aperture to others of the light-emitting elements, arranged to provide a more uniform output beam shape. 
     
     
       51. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein some of the light-emitting elements have different shapes of light emitting aperture to others of the light-emitting elements, arranged to allow provision of a switchable output beam shape in cooperation with switching of the respective light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       52. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein some of the light-emitting elements have different sizes of light emitting aperture to others of the light-emitting elements, arranged to allow provision of a switchable output beam size in cooperation with switching of the respective light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       53. An apparatus according to  claim 27  wherein some of the optical elements have different size of output aperture to others of the optical elements, arranged to allow provision of a switchable output beam shape in cooperation with switching of the respective light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       54. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein some light-emitting elements of the array of light-emitting elements are not aligned with any of the optical elements of the array of optical elements, arranged to allow provision of a switchable output beam shape in cooperation with switching of the respective light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       55. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the illumination apparatus provides a high glare region and a low glare region and the light-emitting elements are arranged to be driven so as to provide a display function that is visible in the low glare region. 
     
     
       56. An apparatus according to  claim 27  wherein prism elements are aligned with the output aperture of the optical elements to provide deflection of the light emitted by the light-emitting elements and redirected by the optical elements;
 wherein the prism elements and output apertures of the optical element array have a pitch in a first direction and the pitch of the prism elements is the same as the pitch of the output apertures of the optical element array in said first direction; 
 wherein the prism elements are arranged to deflect the light such as to provide an uplighter or downlighter. 
 
     
     
       57. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , further comprising an array of electrode connections aligned with the array of light-emitting elements. 
     
     
       58. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , comprising a combined array of light-emitting elements formed from a combination of a plurality of arrays of light-emitting element arrays.

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